Keyhole illuminating device



Aug. 30, 1949. A. D. cosTANzo KEYHOLE ILLUMINATING DEVICE Filed Jan. 51, 1947 Inventor Alfred D. Cosfanzo I Patented Aug. 30, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE KEYEGLE, ILLIJMINA'TING DEVICE Alfred D. Costanzo, Chicago,.IIl..

Aippiieation January 31, 1947 Serial No.- 725,425

1'. Claim. 1

This invention relates to new and usefulim provements and structural refinements innillumihating devices, more specifically, key hole illuminating devices, and the principal object of the invention is to provide a device of the character herein described, such as may be conveniently mounted upon the door frame for the purpose of illuminating the door key hole, and also, for assisting in the identification of the proper key prior to its insertion in said key hole.

A further object of the invention is to provide a key hole illuminating device which, by virtue of its operation as above outlined, will illuminate the conventionally experienced annoyance of selecting the proper key in the dark, as well as the subsequent difficulty of inserting the same in the key hole.

Another object of the invention is to provide a key hole illuminating device which is simple in construction, which will not easily become damaged, and which will function satisfactorily for considerable periods of time.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a key hole illuminating device which will readily lend itself to economical manufacture and which is otherwise well adapted for the purpose for which it is intended.

With the above more important objects in View and such other objects as may become apparent as this specification proceeds, the invention consists essentially of the construction and arrangement of parts as shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary front elevation of a door and frame, showing the invention mounted upon the latter;

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view, taken substantially in the plane of the line 22 in Figure 1, and

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view, taken substantially in the plane of the line 3-3 in Figure 2.

Like characters of reference are used to designate like parts in the specification and throughout the several views.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, the invention consists of a key hole illuminating device designated generally by the reference character Ill, the same embodying in its construction a pair of complemental, separably associated sections H and I2 forming an elongated housing l3.

The section II is configurated substantially as shown and is formed in one end thereof with an opening l4, while the section 12 simply assumes 2'v the formnofa flat plate which constitutes what maybereferredto as a cover for thesection H The housing section; II is also. providedwith a central web or rib l5, this in turn being formed with an aperture l6 which corresponds with a further aperture l! provided in the housing section [2. The apertures I6 and ll are adapted to receive a suitable bolt or screw l8 which not only separably secures the sections I I, I2 together, but which also serves in mounting the entire housing l3 on the frame l9 of the door 20.

A pair of suitable insulating blocks 2 I are provided in the housing section I I and carry a plate 22. This plate is, in turn, formed with a screw threaded aperture 23 to receive an electric lamp 24, the members 2!, 22 and the opening l4 coacting, in effect, to provide what may be referred to as an open socket for the lamp, as is best shown in Figure 2.

The lamp 24 receives its current from a pair of dry cells 25, these being removably positioned in the housing l3 (one cell on each side of the rib l5) and each being connected to the lamp by a suitably configurated conductor strip (25 and 25) These strips are secured to the side walls of the housing section II by means of rivets 2l, as will be clearly apparent.

A further conductor strip 28, secured to the housing section [3 by a rivet 29, is in electrical contact with one of the cells 25 as indicated at 39. This strip is formed from resilient material and the free end portion 3i of the strip is adapted to contact the terminal 32 of the remaining battery cell, thereby forming what may be called a switch. The configuration of the strip 28 is such that this switch is normally open, and the end portion 3| of the strip bears against an enlarged head 33 provided at the inner end of a depressible button 34.

This button is slidably positioned in an aperture 35 provided in the housing portion H, and it will be noted that by virtue of the resiliency of the strip 28, the button will be normally urged outwardly, as will be clearly apparent.

However, by pressing the button inwardly, the end portion M of the strip 28 will be brought in contact with the terminal 32, thereby completing the electrical circuit and energizing the lamp 24.

The housing I3 is mounted in such manner that the light rays emanating from the lamp are directed toward the key hole 36 of the door 20. thereby not only facilitating the selection of the proper key, but also eliminating the conventionally experienced annoyance of attempting to insert the key into the key hole in the dark,

It is believed that the advantages and use of the invention will be clearly apparent from the foreing disclosure and accordingly, further descripton thereof at this point is considered unnecessary.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment of this invention it is to be understood that minor changes in the details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing \from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

What I claim as my invention is:

An illuminating device of the class described, comprising in combination, a front and rear complemental, separably associated section forming a housing a rib integral :with one of said sections and disposed in said housing to separate it into battery compartments, means for retaining said sections together and for simultaneously securing the same to supporting structure, an apertured plate Within said housing and secured to both of said sections an electric lamp in said 7 plate, aplurality of batteries also positioned in said REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,042,623 Wagner Oct. 29, 1912 2,007,101 Vonderembse July 2, 1935 2,011,692 Simpson Aug. 20, 1935 2,176,662 Babb Oct. 1'7, 1939 2,304,690 Herder Dec. 8, 1942 

